Chromatic Orb versus Chromatic Orb
Facts from the current source records sit beside original PoExplorer guidance. No fake winner—just the differences that affect your decision.
Chromatic Orb
Understand how a Chromatic Orb reforges socket colours on Path of Exile 1 equipment, what remains unchanged, and why the required linked gem arrangement comes first.
Open complete guide →
Chromatic Orb
Understand how a Path of Exile 2 Chromatic Orb changes the colour of a socket on a Skill Gem and why this is not the PoE1 equipment-colour system.
Open complete guide →Where they differ.
Source fact comes from the retained game-data record. PoExplorer guidance is our original plain-language interpretation.
Path of Exile 1
Path of Exile 2
Stackable Currency
Stackable Currency
Reforges the colour of sockets on an item
Change the colour of a socket on a Skill Gem
Right click this item then left click a socketed item to apply it. The item's quality increases the chances of non-white sockets.
Right click this item then left click a socketed item to apply it.
20
5
20
20
A Path of Exile 1 Chromatic Orb reforges the colours of sockets on a socketed item. The equipment, its modifiers, socket count, and links remain; the colour arrangement is the random layer being replaced.
The Path of Exile 2 Chromatic Orb changes the colour of a socket on a Skill Gem. It targets the Skill Gem's support setup rather than reforging all socket colours on an equipment item.
Socket colours on the equipment item are reforged.
The colour of a socket on a Skill Gem changes.
The item, modifiers, socket count, and links remain.
The Skill Gem and its support-socket capacity remain.
The existing count and links are correct but the gem colour arrangement is not.
A planned Support Gem needs a different socket colour.
The random result can lose usable colours and may require many attempts.
Colour does not add capacity, and PoE1 equipment-socket advice does not apply.